New Delhi, August 4: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla met with Uzbekistan’s Foreign Minister Bakhtiyar Saidov in New Delhi on Tuesday. The leaders discussed enhancing cooperation between their parliaments, strengthening friendship group activities, and promoting the exchange of legislative experiences.
During the meeting, Om Birla recalled his visit to Uzbekistan last year and expressed gratitude for the warm welcome and hospitality he received at the 150th anniversary assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union.
Uzbekistan’s Foreign Minister Bakhtiyar Saidov shared on social media platform ‘X’ that his meeting with Om Birla was highly positive and meaningful. He emphasized that parliamentary diplomacy can play a crucial role in strengthening the strategic partnership between Uzbekistan and India. They discussed ways to enhance dialogue between their parliaments, bolster friendship group activities, and share experiences in law-making.
Saidov noted, “Om Birla appreciated the warm welcome and traditional hospitality he experienced during his visit to Uzbekistan last year.”
Birla stated that their discussions focused on further strengthening India-Uzbekistan relations, particularly in areas such as parliamentary cooperation, trade, investment, connectivity, education, culture, and enhancing people-to-people ties.
He wrote on ‘X’, “It was a pleasure to meet Uzbekistan’s Foreign Minister Bakhtiyar Saidov in the Parliament House. Our discussions were quite fruitful, and we explored ways to further strengthen the long-standing friendship between India and Uzbekistan, especially in parliamentary cooperation, trade, investment, connectivity, education, culture, and improving relations among our peoples.”
Birla mentioned that he had the opportunity to visit Tashkent in April 2025 for the 150th assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, where he met with Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Senate Chairperson Tanzila Narbaeva, and Legislative House Chairperson Nuriddin Ismoilov. These meetings reinforced their shared commitment to deepening bilateral and parliamentary cooperation between the two countries.
During the meeting, Birla announced that the Indian Parliament established the India-Uzbekistan Parliamentary Friendship Group in March this year, which includes members from both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
He stated that this group will serve as an important platform to advance cooperation between the two countries in areas such as economic development, education, culture, and humanitarian initiatives.
Uzbekistan’s Foreign Minister Bakhtiyar Saidov arrived in New Delhi on an official visit on Monday. During his trip, he also met with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, President Droupadi Murmu, and participated in the Uzbekistan-India Business Forum.
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